An Inspired Chat with Cat Wright

Cat Wright shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Cat, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Are you walking a path—or wandering?
For the first time, in a long time, I feel like I am walking a path. When I left my full-time position in 2017 there was this sense of…”you can do anything in the world you want now.” Sounds amazing, but with that came a little bit of a lack in direction. Panic, almost, because I didn’t want to make any wrong moves. I was booking any and every type of styling job you could think of and my schedule was up and down. I was learning a lot and also really finding myself both as a stylist and as a human. I was learning what projects I was good at, working to improve my skill on projects that made me more uncomfortable and at the same time discovering which jobs brought me the most joy and reward. Now, I feel like I’m able to take the highs and lows and really utilize them to create great work and make lasting connections.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a stylist and fashion writer and, oddly enough, feel like my career worked backwards. I started my styling career with a full-time job (which hardly exists in our industry) at E! while writing regularly for a local outlet focused on all things fashion (RIP Racked LA) so I really got to dive in head first when I really relatively new to LA. Being immersed in the styling scene as well as the city – I would cover everything from store openings to collection launches and swear we were going to 3-4 industry events a week – I just really fell in love with LA and felt at home.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
As a child, my parents instilled in me the value of hard work and personal rewards. I think that is why I am so goal-oriented and work better under the pressure of setting a benchmark. In high school, it was that I wanted to get good grades so I could get a scholarship because then I could get to LA faster. Then, in fashion school, it was to have a great final project so I could get the internship and then I get the internship and I want the job, etc. Now, I love taking on projects where there’s a bit of a “ah-hah” moment at the end. That’s success. A client that tells you they’re so happy with the wardrobe, a single photo that tells the whole story of the work a team did to get there, a compliment from a director about how fun and easy you’ve been to work with. Those are the things that make me feel I did my best work because, at the end of the day, you’re going to get paid regardless. The way I look at it now, the job is a success if they want to work with me again.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
2023/2024 was a very difficult time in my life, personally. I learned that you have to give yourself grace to just move through the day. Because no matter what is going on in your life, the world is still spinning and you still have to show up for yourself. It’s important to have good people around you who will also be lenient with you and understand what you’re going through. Pick the battles you have the energy for and then go home, reset, have your moment and rest. Then, do it again tomorrow. It really is all about what and who you give your energy to in those times.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, I truly don’t have the energy to be fake. It’s exhausting.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. I have definitely had jobs where the only feedback was negative, even if they were happy with my work. My stylist friends and I always talk about how a simple compliment or positive reinforcement goes a long way on a job.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.catwrightstyle.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catwrightstyle
• Twitter: https://x.com/CatWrightStyle
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatWrightStyle/

Image Credits
Allen Zaki, Aaron Feaver, France & Jesse, Kelia, Naj Jamai